DNA Helix
Have you had your DNA tested?
How often do you revisit your results?
(This post is for people who have tested, or who want to test, their DNA for genealogy purposes. It’s not for those who don’t want to, or who are more interested in DNA for health purposes or traits.)
Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month?
This is very convenient for the genealogy community since the 1950 U.S. census is being released on April 1, 2022. (That’s when the mandatory 72-year privacy waiting period ends.)
Here is a list of genealogy volunteer opportunities, and some of the benefits of participating.
Do you regret missing RootsTech 2022?
It’s not too late!
Yes, a few features are no longer available, but many of them — including 1500+ recorded sessions, on 185 topics, in 30+ languages —will be available all year long!
This question — How are we related? — might arise when you gather with relatives during holidays. Or anytime.
Most people just laugh and change the subject.
But, next time, YOU can be the one who knows the answer!
(PRO TIP: Keep this post handy for reference!)
Someone asked me for a list of gifts for family historians.
They had in mind gadgets and other tangible things you could wrap up with a bow. But I thought, “Most of the things I want don’t cost money and can’t be wrapped.”
Blank genealogical pedigree chart
Uh-oh. Ancestry.com just updated their Terms and Conditions in a way that has people up in arms.
>>> SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR UPDATES. <<<
I’m not saying I like it, but I do tend to stay calm in situations like this and wait and see what happens next.
Meanwhile, though, I want you to know about it too, because the clock is ticking and you may feel differently about it than I do.
If you want to take action, it needs to be within 30 days of when the new policy was announced, which was August 3, 2021.
And these were just my (distant) relatives! A total of 500,000+ people attended RootsTech Connect in February 2021.
Wow! This event was a game-changer.
Even if you’re not the family historian, please keep reading. Because, in case you feel you’ve missed out, you haven’t!
Even the cat wore a mask!
In April I wrote a blog post called Our Ancestors and the 1918 Spanish Flu, not realizing there would be more. But…of course, there’s more! This is a marathon, not a sprint, and COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon.
Note: The 1918-1919 flu pandemic was often referred to as the “Spanish Flu” because of mistaken beliefs about its origin. I use that term, too, because accuracy and political correctness are not always helpful when searching the internet. (In fact, it may have started in Kansas: How the Horrific 1918 Flu Spread Across America.)
Me (left) with genealogy rock star Cyndi Ingle.
Are you ready to explore your family history?
Here are some genealogy resources to help you get started!
This list is by no means exhaustive! It’s mostly a list of websites and tools I use myself. If you want exhaustive, check out Cyndi’s List below. I have used Cyndi’s List since its inception in 1996, and got to meet Cyndi Ingle in person when she came to visit the New Mexico Genealogical Society a few years ago.
Please let me know if you find something here that helps you!
Short answer: Probably!
Long answer: Most of us are distantly related to rulers such as Charlemagne, Genghis Kahn, and other historical figures with an abundance of descendants. But can we prove it? And is it important?
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